BLACKSTONE HILL.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 403, 9 December 1876, Page 3

BLACKSTONE HILL.

Blackstone Hilt, does not, as a township, i ake much progress. At the same time we are assured that its position in the race of progress is by no means so stagnant as at first sight would appear. The prospects of good mining ground being struck below the froverntnent race are improving. No doubt, when the race is in full awing facilities will be given by the management to enable tniiu rs to obtain water when the element is plentiful at nominal rates for prospecting purposes. The f«rtns on the flat preserve their good character, and might be vastly extended aud increased in value if a flour mill were erected in the neighborhood. There would be no difficulty now in obtaining a supply of water sufficient for a pair of stones. The district that first establishes a flour mill in the Mauiototo County is bound to obta n a start which it would not readily lose, besides conferring a great boon upon the whole population When we have such fine wheat-grow-ing land in the Ida Valley it doe appear extraordinary that Naseby should be obtaining flour from Queenstown. The Jockey Club Hotel, bui.'t by Mr. Duff, uow m Duuedin, has been taken down and sold. As this hotel has been closed for some time its removal is not a sign that the population are in any way leaving the neighborhood of Blaekstone tliil. The trafficon the road is not considerable this year. This is very generally attributed to the Tuapeka road taking the trade. With regard to the heavy traffic no doubt this is the case, and ■a-ill be so to a greater extent when' Tuapeka is a Kaihvay terminus. The slackness of travellers by coach, and otherwise, is however reported to be generally observable by both routes, and is no doubt to be ascribed to the shortness of money which now is so generally complained of all through the Province.

Tiie recta, under the energetic management of Mr. ithers, are reported well of. Mr. Withers has succeeded in proving that individual enterprise and energy will overcome difficulties considered insuperable by the managers of general Companies. A steadily increasing population is setting in 10 the neighborhood, so much so as almost to justify action in the direction of a school, and substantially recognised post office. The post office duty is at present unpaid, but attended to carefully by Mr. Grant of the Coal Pit.